The Little Mermaid: Athena and Damien

Chapter XI: Circus of Freaks

October 31, 1856 (Halloween)

Harmony and Ariel were walking around the kingdom when Harmony noticed a poster featuring a circus.

Harmony: Mom, you think this is a good circus?

Ariel: Hmm.

Ariel looked at the poster and it was readable:

"Circus of Freaks. All kinds of monsters can be seen. Giant, siamese twins, lobster man, bearded woman, etc. Come if you want to be suprised!"

Ariel: You better avoid this circus, Harmony! It's very dangerous!

Harmony: Well...okay, Mom.

Then Harmony and Ariel went home. They didn't know that while they were at the poster, a man watched them from behind and heard Ariel tell Harmony that circus was dangerous. That's why he came up with a plan.

That night, the man broke into the castle with two other companions. Luckily for them, everyone was asleep, so they quietly searched Harmony's room. When they found her room, they quietly opened the door, then went into the room and went to Harmony's bed.
Harmony woke up to the sounds.

Man: Hello, Princess!

Harmony: [gasp]

Then the man stunned Harmony with an unkown spray, causing her to lose consciousness.
Harmony lay on the floor and then woke up. She found herself in a circus stage.

Man: [laughter] Welcome to Circus of Freaks, Princess! I am Jefferson Tetch, also know as...the Ringmaster!

Harmony: But in which circus I am, Mr. Tech?

Jefferson: In the Circus of Freaks! In the circus that your mother said it was: "You better avoid this circus, Harmony! It's very dangerous!" But do not worry! I'll show you you don't have to be afraid of anything here! You want to keep me on a little tour?

Harmony: Well...yes!

Jefferson: Then let's go!

Harmony and Jefferson went out of the stage tent.

Jefferson: First of all, I have to regret that there are no animals in this circus. Because there are countries where they look at animal torture the way other circuses treat animals.

Harmony: No problem. I understand you're an animal protector.

Jefferson: Well, yes. I'm an animal protector.

Harmony: Then what are in this circus?

Jefferson: Not what, but who! There are people working here who have unfortunately been overthrown by society, because of their appearance.

Harmony: So people born with disease work here?

Jefferson: Yes. But I don't have to show them if you don't like that or if you're scared!

Harmony: Nothing wrong! Other 6-years-old would be scared, but I'm not scared!

Jefferson: Wait! You are 6 years old?

Harmony: Yes.

Jefferson: And at 6 you are so smart and you can speak so well!?

Harmony: Yes. I was born this way. The doctor told my mother and my father that I was different from the other children because my brain was more developed. And as I grew, it turned out I am a child prodigy. This is my ability. And that's why I'm special to my mother and to my family.

Jefferson: Wow! Amazing and adorable! Well, if you say you're not afraid, we can go.

Jefferson began to introduce Harmony to the deformed people working in the circus.

Meanwhile, already at the castle, Carlotta, frightened, told Ariel that Harmony was gone. Damien, Jim and Jeremiah began their search for Harmony.

Jim: Harmony!

Damien: Harmony!

Jeremiah: Harmony, where are you?!

Jim: You see something?

Damien: I don't see anything! It's night!

Jeremiah: Great! We're looking for a little girl in blind dark!

After Jefferson introduced the deformed people to Harmony, he asked her:

Jefferson: So, you liked the acquaintance?

Harmony: Yes. They may really look like monsters on the outside, but on the inside they are normal humans.

Jefferson: Exactly! I love when someone recognizes a good person in a distorted body. You are like that! You recognize the good in others.

Harmony: Thank you. But it wouldn't bother you if I said I wanted to go home now?

Jefferson's face grew serious.

Jefferson: You know,...I really like the kids who visit my circus, but the parents are very worried that this place is not for kids. It's good that you said you are a child prodigy, that you recognized distorted people, etc. So...NOW YOU WILL BE ONE OF THEM!

Then Jefferson took Harmony's hand and began to drag her toward a cage. He opened the cage door, tossed Harmony in, and closed the door.

Jefferson: You're not going anywhere from here! You're my property now!

Jefferson walked away from the cage and Harmony shouted that:

Harmony: HELP! HELP! SOMEBODY HELP! HELP!

Jefferson: [laughter] Shout Princess! No one can hear it here!

Then Jefferson left and disappeared from Harmony's eyes.

Harmony: How I didn't know I was with such an evil man?! How could I be so naïve?!

Then Harmony began to cry.
An hour later, sleeping Harmony woke up to a knock. It was John Gulliver that Jefferson introduced to Harmony. He was a 2 meter tall giant.

Harmony: What are you doing?

John: I will released you. I stole Jefferson's keys and now I'm here. Now the two of us are getting out of here.

John opened the locked door, took Harmony out, put her on his lap, and John started running toward the circus exit. But then two deformed bodyguards blocked their way.

Strongman: You two didn't go anywhere from here!

Lobster Man: Yeah, you didn't!

Then Damien, Jim and Jeremiah arrived and quickly defeated the two bodyguards.

Damien: Release Harmony immediately, giant!

John: Hey, hey! Calm down, calm down! I'm on your side! I released Harmony!

Harmony: It's true, Damien. Every of his world it's true.

Damien: Oh, sorry. Then let's get out of here!

Then Jefferson showed up and ran to the exit.

Jefferson: Hey! Bring the girl back! She is my property!

Then Jim used his magic to blow down Jefferson, who was hovering unsteadily above the ground.

Harmony, Damien, Jim and Jeremiah returned to the castle with John.

Later, Harmony introduced John to Athena.

John: I'm glad to meet you, Your Majesty (Queen Athena)!

Athena: I'm glad too, John.

At the end of their conversation, John told her that his big dream was to be a sailor. Athena asked John to join the crew of the Danish Mermaid, which John accepted.

The Circus of Freaks has left Denmark.